MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch Teardown by iFixit
The guys at iFixit have torn down Apple's latest notebooks and discovered that they're harder than ever to repair.
Apple this week finally updated the MacBook Pro line with Intel's Haswell chips and, with the laptops already on shelves, the teardown team at iFixit has wasted no time in tearing into Apple's newest machines. In fact, they've already done full teardowns of both the 15-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch model.
The 15-inch model maintained its 1/10 repairability score from last year. Though it isn't too different from the 2012 model, iFixit reports that it is actually harder to fix. The example they give: If you want to replace the audio jack, you now have to replace the entire logic board. Burn!
Other highlights include the PCIe-based SSD instead of the mSATA solution we saw in the 2012 model. There's also a new heat sink with one thermal pad, a new AirPort card with support for 802.11 ac, a Haswell CPU (of course), Intel's Iris graphics, an Intel DSL5520 Thunderbolt 2 controller, and Elpida J4208EFBG 512 MB DDR3 SDRAM (16 chips for 8 GB total).
The 13-inch model is a bit more interesting given it's received more of an upgrade than the 15-inch model. Like the 15-inch, it sounds like the 13-inch model is harder to fix than ever. The battery is still stuck down, and the trackpad is glued under that glued-in battery AND protected by a metal plate (and that's glued down, too!). Aside from a lot of glue, the guys at iFixit found just one fan, a slightly smaller battery (a few Wh down now to 71.8 Wh), a shared pad on the heat sink for the CPU and GPU, and a MagSafe 2 port with its own connector (which means it can be replaced on its own).
For all the gory details, head over to iFixit and check out the full gallery of photos as well as the step-by-step repair instructions (MacBook Pro 13, MacBook Pro 15).
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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lostgamer_03 "Magical, Innovative, extraordinary and 5 liters of glue, I hereby present you the new MacBook Pro!"Reply
- Apple -
John Bauer I do admit, it'd be cool to own a Macbook Pro- not because of functionality, but because it'd be a novelty... And when the novelty wears off in 4-8 months, you can sell it for the same price you bought it for. Apple products to retain an extreme amount of resale value after all...Reply
My body is ready -
Solandri Reply
I'm pretty sure this is because Apple makes it virtually impossible to tell how old a Macbook is. You have to remove the battery, read a model number underneath, and look it up on the Apple website to figure out what year it was made and what internal components it has. With the newer models with the non-removable battery, you have to type in your serial number into their website to get the model number.11800100 said:11799163 said:I do admit, it'd be cool to own a Macbook Pro- not because of functionality, but because it'd be a novelty... And when the novelty wears off in 4-8 months, you can sell it for the same price you bought it for. Apple products to retain an extreme amount of resale value after all...
I get 75% back of what I paid years later hence why I switched to Apple products. Try that with any other electronic device. In the long run you pay much less for Apple products then non.
When my cousin was shopping for a Mac at his school's Apple store, he was nearly tricked by this into buying a "new" Core 2 Duo Macbook when the current models were Sandy Bridge based. Fortunately he called me first. I was able to instruct him on where to find the model number, and we figured out the laptop was 3-year old inventory the store was trying to clear at a "huge" $200 discount.
Make it near-impossible to tell how old a laptop is, and combine it with a userbase which is mostly computer illiterate, and yeah it'll hold its "value". Because most of the buyers think the 3-year old laptop they're buying is last year's model. My morals prohibit me from ripping off a buyer in this way, but if you don't have a problem with it then go ahead and enjoy the better resale "value". -
Grandmastersexsay Reply11800088 said:11797443 said:Can;t upgrade it and can't fix it! Yet another reason never to buy P.O.S Crapple!
How many laptops are user fixable and upgradable? You're such a dullard.
I guess you have never heard about business class laptops like thinkpads. -
John Bauer Reply11801325 said:
I'm pretty sure this is because Apple makes it virtually impossible to tell how old a Macbook is. You have to remove the battery, read a model number underneath, and look it up on the Apple website to figure out what year it was made and what internal components it has. With the newer models with the non-removable battery, you have to type in your serial number into their website to get the model number.11800100 said:11799163 said:I do admit, it'd be cool to own a Macbook Pro- not because of functionality, but because it'd be a novelty... And when the novelty wears off in 4-8 months, you can sell it for the same price you bought it for. Apple products to retain an extreme amount of resale value after all...
I get 75% back of what I paid years later hence why I switched to Apple products. Try that with any other electronic device. In the long run you pay much less for Apple products then non.
When my cousin was shopping for a Mac at his school's Apple store, he was nearly tricked by this into buying a "new" Core 2 Duo Macbook when the current models were Sandy Bridge based. Fortunately he called me first. I was able to instruct him on where to find the model number, and we figured out the laptop was 3-year old inventory the store was trying to clear at a "huge" $200 discount.
Make it near-impossible to tell how old a laptop is, and combine it with a userbase which is mostly computer illiterate, and yeah it'll hold its "value". Because most of the buyers think the 3-year old laptop they're buying is last year's model. My morals prohibit me from ripping off a buyer in this way, but if you don't have a problem with it then go ahead and enjoy the better resale "value".
Not as bad as the "Genius'" over at Apple stores who'd wipe your hard drive for fun. -
10tacle Walking into an Apple store should at least come with a free lipstick & makeup kit in a cute little Apple bag at the store entrance. Because one should look pretty just before being F**KED.Reply -
Spooderman Reply
Are you.... Are you kidding? I can open up my crappy Dell laptop and insert more RAM, a new hard drive, replace the battery....Why would you even make a statement like that?11800088 said:11797443 said:Can;t upgrade it and can't fix it! Yet another reason never to buy P.O.S Crapple!
How many laptops are user fixable and upgradable? You're such a dullard.
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John Bauer Reply11805197 said:
Are you.... Are you kidding? I can open up my crappy Dell laptop and insert more RAM, a new hard drive, replace the battery....Why would you even make a statement like that?11800088 said:11797443 said:Can;t upgrade it and can't fix it! Yet another reason never to buy P.O.S Crapple!
How many laptops are user fixable and upgradable? You're such a dullard.
He's never actually used a laptop before, me thinks.